In situ surface engineering enables high interface stability and rapid reaction kinetics for Ni-rich cathodes
Wenshuai Guo,
Wu Wei,
Huawei Zhu,
Yanjie Hu,
Hao Jiang,
Chunzhong Li
Affiliations
Wenshuai Guo
Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
Wu Wei
Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
Huawei Zhu
Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
Yanjie Hu
Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
Hao Jiang
Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Corresponding authors.
Chunzhong Li
Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hierarchical Nanomaterials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Corresponding authors.
Layered oxide cathodes with high Ni content promise high energy density and competitive cost for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). However, Ni-rich cathodes suffer from irreversible interface reconstruction and undesirable cracking with severe performance degradation upon long-term operation, especially at elevated temperatures. Herein, we demonstrate in situ surface engineering of Ni-rich cathodes to construct a dual ion/electron-conductive NiTiO3 coating layer and Ti gradient doping (NC90–Ti@NTO) in parallel. The dual-modification synergy helps to build a thin, robust cathode–electrolyte interface with rapid Li-ion transport and enhanced reaction kinetics, and effectively prevents unfavorable crystalline phase transformation during long-term cycling under harsh environments. The optimized NC90–Ti@NTO delivers a high reversible capacity of 221.0 mAh g−1 at 0.1C and 158.9 mAh g−1 at 10C. Impressively, it exhibits a capacity retention of 88.4% at 25 °C after 500 cycles and 90.7% at 55 °C after 300 cycles in a pouch-type full battery. This finding provides viable clues for stabilizing the lattice and interfacial chemistry of Ni-rich cathodes to achieve durable LIBs with high energy density.
